Taskmaster
The name is '''Taskmaster', and I deal in a rather unique business: Task Fulfillment. '' Background "I'm a businessman. An educator. I run a string o' schools where I train muscle for the super-villain trade! It's a nice livin'." The man known as Taskmaster first demonstrated his abilities as a child after watching a western, learning rope tricks upon simply seeing them exhibited. Learning in time and through a mishap that almost killed him his power was given a name, "Photographic Reflexes", continuing on through his youth into adulthood he would become an all-star athlete in school, becoming a champion quarterback after watching professional football. It wasn't long after high school he decided he would try to become a criminal after coming to the conclusion that being a hero doesn't seem to pay off. He then began studying every hero on television he could, memorizing and researching their techniques learning them for himself. Once he felt comfortable he set out with petty crimes soon deciding these were too high risk he began a new plan, a combat instructor for crooks. Taking in minions and students he would train them up and hire them out to villains. Over the years he would work for dozens of well-known criminals, hosting pupils in an assortment of villainous teams. Even at one point being hired by an enemy of Captain America to train up students in the Captain's style (taken from old WWII clips) so that they could be killed in training exercises. From here on his operations would continue for a time, setting up shop, then moving on or stopping for some period of time to work his magic on whatever he was paid for. For a time hooked up with the mercenary firm Agency X, then later was back into the swing of mercenary work (even training government 'CSA' agents) and assassinations, recently taking the Committee up on their Moon Knight hit, who ended up defeating him. As it stands now, Taskmaster is back into the game and eager for work. No matter who is paying. Personality Taskmaster is at heart a crook, he cares about money and himself. He has very little qualms about killing people or watching them die but on many occasions he has saved people when it is convenient or he actually likes them. He's a tactical, insightful and intelligent man who has the ability to determine peoples weaknesses. He is also extremely confident, arrogant and likes to gloat at times referring to himself in third person and given to horrible bad guy dialogue. Taskmaster is not at heart an evil being, but he isn't a good one either and his way of thinking keeps him on the negative side of the fence, when grouped up with others he can be pessimistic and obnoxious, his sense of humor is on the lines of cheesy and he has a habit of making up bad nicknames for others and also rambling off what moves he is using and where he picked them up, just another display of his many bragging habits. Oddly enough, at points in time mainly towards children and 'innocents' he has shown moments of rare kindness. Despite his rather formidable combat skills (claiming just behind Elektra and Bullseye he's the most top-paid assassin in the world) he knows when to run and will not engage someone obviously far superior to himself. Which, is generally anyone with a size able amount of super powers. Powers Taskmaster possess an innate ability called 'Photographic Reflexes', it enables him to watch another person's physical actions and duplicate them perfectly without practice no matter how complex it is. Once someone has been studied he gains an uncanny ability to anticipate and predict their every movements and determine weak points in their stances to styles. By reviewing recordings of movements periodically Taskmaster can retain duplicated moves indefinitely. He can use this ability to mimic voices and even learn new ones. He also learned by watching something in fast forward he can double his speed and reflexes for a short period of time, even to where he can grab a bullet out of the air. But he can only maintain this state for a short period before it does lasting injury to his body. This power only works on physical movements and technique not actual powers or knowledge. This also grants him the ability of V'oice Impersonation'. In addition to his Photographic Reflexes, he also has a Photographic Memory which enables him to remember anything he's seen or read down to the most minor of details. Mimic List *Domino (CAM, WS:M, WS:T, V) *Javelin (WS:T, V) *Moon Knight (A, CAM, WS:M, WS:T, V) *Spider-Man (CAM, WS:S, WS:T, V) (WS "Weapon Skill" Melee, Shooting, Throwing. *CAM implies combat abilities & movements. *V implies ability to impersonate voice. *A is for Anticipation is only if he has encountered them and fought them previously - this can not be learned from television or tapes alone.~ All learned abilities are with consent.) Skills Taskmaster has an extensive assassin, criminal and mercenary background. His skill-sets range throughout those categories and most impressive of all is due to his abilities he can pick up, learn and memorize just about any skill he has seen. This makes him one of the deadliest fighters and martial artists alive having studied countless martial artists throughout the world including famous super-heroes and villains, he has talents in boxing, fencing, archery, juggling, gymnastics, aerial acrobatics, wrestling, near any physical skill name it he knows and can perform it. His weapon proficiencies are extensive into every known area, from shurikens, bolas, pistols, demolitions on up to machine guns, shields, katanas, longbow, crossbows and three-piece-rods. There is perhaps not a weapon on Earth he hasn't got included into his arsenal of skills. On an academic level, he is a high school graduate, never having attended college; he also boasts he was trained by the CSA, CIA and Mossaid as well as having picked up talents and skills along with some philosophy from Tibetan monks. Throughout his amazing array of talents he has displayed dancing, horse riding, forensics, meditation, breathing techniques, chi-focus, gambling, sleight of hand, camouflage tactics and has a good grasp of field command and training know-how. Just about any costume hero or villain who has appeared on film or television Taskmaster has studied and researched thoroughly (especially those showing in BB), it is not uncommon for him to keep discs involving scenarios involving super-humans to watch over and over again. Boons Tools of the Trade Standard UDON Equipment & Weapons *Costume -- Kevlar body suit with webgear. Gives good protection against conventional weaponry and some resistance to fire and cold weather. *Image Inducer -- Holographic projector, can be used to alter, disguise and mask features to clothing, can also project a decoy. *Omni-Tool -- A SHIELD tech solid energy projection device, it works with his skills granting him the ability to mimic various forms of weaponry. It has a thin line maximum range of 40 feet. *Katana -- This is a mastercraft weapon, nothing special about it beyond it is an actual Katana, not some cheap knock-off with a silk cutting razor edged blade. *Customized Dual 45. ACPs Usual Classic Equipment & Weapons *Costume (same as above mentioned just no webgear, utility belt instead), Round Shield, Billy Club, Dual .45 Automatics(x2), Duplicate 'Web-Line' Shooter, Metal Tri-Claw, Moon Shaped Throwing Discs(x9), Bow & Arrows(x36 trick arrows in quiver), Broadsword, Magnesium Flare(x2). (*In addition to the above he has access to an armory of weaponry, from grenades, shurikens, blow darts, bolas, nets, shotguns, RPGs, etc. Near anything conventional and imaginable, even some high-tech gadgets that are not mentioned.) Comfortable Living - Taskmaster has made a good living for himself, not wealthy like Tony Stark, Lex Luthor or Bruce Wayne in the least but he has made enough that when he wishes to have a steak he will have a steak and he can generally afford a new car anytime he wants one. He has enough money at any point in time to set up a 'criminal combat college' whenever he wishes and still maintain himself. Natural Athlete - Taskmaster is an Olympic level athlete, he keeps himself in intense physical condition and is able to use and adapt to the skills his power picks up instantly. He keeps himself honed to peak perfection and can lift twice his own body weight above his head easily. Extensive Contacts - His long time in the field of crime and mercenary work keeps him an open doorway into most areas of crime and work involving warfare, he has a very 'marketable skill' and it is very much in grounds for people in need to take up on it, this gives him networks allover the place, governments, corporate heads, secret organizations and villains alike. Flaws Criminal - No matter any way someone wishes to look at it Taskmaster is a criminal, he has murdered in the past and will do so again. He works with villains and being stopped by heroes or law-enforcement doesn't stop him from doing so again. Squishy - He is a normal man, beyond his Photographic Reflexes, Memory and High Level of Fitness, he is underpowered and due to this has failed in the past against 'enhanced' beings of lesser combat abilities. He can be shot, stabbed, broken and killed by the same things that would harm any other typical non-meta homo sapien. Secret Identity - His real name is a complete mystery he has used Contingency T, TM, Tony Masters and a various range of other aliases but never told anyone of his true, this keeps him from ever being able to lead a normal life. Logs including Taskmaster 2010-08-24: You Filthy Scavengers: Nimrod Strange and his Third World Slayers hire a group of professional assassins consisting of Boomerang, Domino, Javelin and Taskmaster to hunt down and take out Arsenal, Batman and Moon Knight. Category:Taken Feature Character